Forum Topic

Northfields Allotments

What is going on at Ealing Council? First they sell off Warren Farm a large sports field on the Hanwell/ Southall border and now they are proposing building on Northfields Allotments. It would appear that the main credential for a local politician is the ability to assist developers to find loop-holes in conservation regulations.

Roy Baker ● 3084d10 Comments

I've got to the stage now where I hope the now cash strapped QPR fail to be able to develop this land jointly with the Council for portion shared use.Warren Farm as a Sports Field is f**ked.Ealing Council will never have it running as it should be.So it'll be a wasteland. No doubt the pikeys will be in and use it as landfill, their own version of courseThen what future? I'd say a housing estate or TESCO's distrubution centre.Enjoy it SWF. Enjoy it

Colin Goodman ● 3074d

A quick google search shows that so many of our allotments and green spaces are under threat.What concerns us (the plotholders) is that:1) Pathways (our landlord)  need to temporarily move 15 people from Dean Court while they knock down and rebuild their accommodation. But this temporary problem is being solved by a permanent solution. 2) If they get planning permission for this development - they will undoubtedly come back for more. The trustees now see the allotments as an asset to exploit. Their charitable objects have been stripped of any mention of renting allotments - it only mentions housing.3) If you take a look at their twelve trustees  http://www.yourpathways.org.uk/portfolio/our-peopleyou’ll see that six of them are involved in housing. This isn’t a surprise. You would expect that they would have expertise in this area - and it is why they are trustees - to bring their private sector expertise to the charity. Yet, with all that expertise they cannot find temporary accommodation for 15 people. Christina FoxChair Ealing Dean Allotment Society.

Christina Fox ● 3077d

Not really "First they sell off Warren Farm a large sports field", it's worse. It's "First they GIVE AWAY Warren Farm a large sports field to a rich commercial football club (QPR), and allow the club to make £4 million by using it as a landfill site".If you don't like this, the "Save Warren Farm Campaign" is crowdfunding a Judicial Review. Contribute at https://www.crowdjustice.org/case/save-warren-farm/

Alan Baldock ● 3077d

So these are also included in the West Ealing Zone consultation too.

Philippa Bond ● 3078d

Building four houses for sale in order to fund a rebuild of a deteriorating building.  I wonder why they don't have a reserve fund.

Philippa Bond ● 3081d

Isn't there a problem here with creating a precedent?Aren't all buildings now supposed to be Built for Life?  I'm sure I saw another call for this from the RIBA recently.

Philippa Bond ● 3082d

Who do you think puts the notion of being able to develop the site in to the landowners sights?Councils are touting sites for possible development and officers with the blessing of elected members do this.There are go betweens and a lot of secrecy.  Maybe not illegal, but ethical? With the consent of the electorate?  Never seems to appear in manifestos.These executive officers make a career of this. Whether it's council land or not.Then they move on to another borough.

Mark Kehoe ● 3083d

Note, and neither is it as simple as Roy's post. :)

Paul James ● 3083d

It isn't as simple as that though is it Paul?

Philippa Bond ● 3083d

It's not the council proposing to build there, it's the owner of the land....

Paul James ● 3084d